Feb 22, 2021 Systematic review finds some benefits with agent, but supportive data are weak The anti-diabetic medication metformin led to modest benefits on weight and insulin resistance in children and adolescents with obesity, although the evidence driving that conclusion was of “varying quality,” according to a systematic review from Canada. The review of two dozen randomized controlled trials (RCTs; n=1,623 patients) showed that metformin resulted in a modest decrease in BMI, BMI z score, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) relative to placebo: BMI: range of mean values −2.70 to 1.30 versus −1.12 to 1.90. BMI z score: range of mean values −0.37 to −0.03 versus −0.22 to 0.15.